Contemporary Sounds in Old Pasadena

“The Old Pasadena JazzFest” doesn’t quite describe what happened in the city’s Central Park Friday and Saturday. And any Dixieland fans who failed to realize that the “Old” in the title referred to the location rather than the style of music would have been startled by what they heard.

More accurately, the program could have been described as “The Old Pasadena Contemporary JazzFest” or even “The Old Pasadena Smooth JazzFest.” Because with a Saturday lineup that included Gerald Albright, Diane Schuur, Tom Scott and Nestor Torres, the sounds had a lot more to do with radio-friendly pop jazz than with New Orleans.

Which was just fine for the overflow crowd that filled Central Park, spreading blankets, picnics and good vibes on a temperate, breezy summer day that seemed made for outdoor music. Pop jazz, smooth jazz, contemporary jazz, new adult contemporary--any of the names that apply to the grab bag of melodic, synthesizer-filled, funk-rhythmed music that is today’s best-selling, jazz-derived product--are good choices for outdoor summer festival settings. It is an art that is less about the encounter between musician and the music than about the effectiveness with which the musician can interact with an audience.

And with few exceptions, the Saturday lineup was filled with performers who are adept at connecting with their listeners. After opening with early afternoon appearances by trumpeter Chris Botti, Latin jazz artist Torres and Jazzatopia (featuring former Rippingtons drummer Steve Reid), the program came up to full speed with the arrival of Tom Scott’s L.A. Express.

By that time, the vendor booths--featuring a large array of African art-oriented items--and the food stands (with specialties from eight Pasadena restaurants) were teeming with buyers. At another stand, fans got autographs from the musicians.

The current incarnation of Scott’s L.A. Express, like past entries, is a band whose music is based upon a combination of funk rhythms, showmanship and--beneath the surface--some first-rate jazz playing. Scott, playing everything from tenor, soprano and alto saxophones to an electronic wind instrument, was in fine form, his solos balancing thoughtful musical ideas with fiery rhythms and hard-driving blues articulation.

Schuur, accompanying herself on piano (with bass and drums), sang a typically far-ranging set of standards and jazz tunes (from “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” to “How Long Has This Been Going On”).

Saturday’s show closed with a rousing, rhythm-drenched set by saxophonist Albright and his guests--bassist Wayman Tisdale and singer Lalah Hathaway.